Terps Start Summer Camp
With the 2010 football season about to get underway in College Park, I thought it was worth it to bring up one old post. About a month ago we did a post for The ACC/SEC Blog, and he only posted half our answers. I thought it was appropriate to post the other half of our answers. For comparison sake, check out our original post here.
Q: What is the mood around the Maryland program heading into this season
coming off a 2-10 record a year ago?
A: The mood is surprisingly good. The 2009 season was a disaster, but what I find refreshing is that there has been very little spin. Last years team was so snake bitten, by the third week you knew if there was a fumble which way it was going to bounce, they just couldn’t get a break, and then there were the injuries. But honestly, other than what I just wrote, no one is talking about excuses. 2009 was a disaster and we are too good of a program for that to ever happen again, and no one is feeling sorry for themselves. The Terps are ready for redemption.
Q: Do you think this is Ralph Friedgen’s last year regardless of his record
this year?
A: I don’t think this is Friedgen’s last season. I think he has found a second wind with the naming of James Franklin as the next coach. Ralph is very proud of what he has accomplished at Maryland (as well he should be) and I don’t think he wants to go out on a down note. Now that is assuming the decision to coach in 2011 is up to Friedgen, but if the team were to struggle, I don’t think there would be that much of an upheaval to bring in Franklin because Franklin would be coming off the same bad season Friedgen was coming off of. So I’d be shocked if Ralph wasn’t at the helm in 2011, but then again, I never saw 2-10 coming last year either.
Q: How excited are you about the Head Coach In Waiting James Franklin?
A: I was luke warm to it to begin with. Now I need to be talked into it again. Don’t get me wrong, Franklin is a firey guy who could be a success as a head coach. But I feel with that deal we bought a stock that was at $60 and now is at $47. Of course a good season by the offense could change my mind and I do think Jamarr Robinson is going to be a better fit for our offense than Chris Turner was. That isn’t a knock on Turner it is just right now until our offensive line gets established, we need a QB who can move around and create plays with his feet. Robinson gives us that, and as Robinson goes, so does James Franklin’s stock.
Q: Who are the candidates to replace QB Chris Turner? Does one have the job
locked down after Spring?
A: Jamarr Robinson has the job hands down. Is he the best natural quarterback? Probably not. Is he the most experienced and most athletic and closest to field ready? Without a doubt. Do I like to ask questions and then answer them myself? Of course. Seriously though, I think the Terps have some raw talent waiting in the wings and if Robinson struggles out of the gate, who knows who will be starting in November.
Q: The defense was the worst in the ACC last year. Where is the unit most
improved?
A: Well last year was Alex Wujciak and everyone else. I mean he had 138 tackles and next on that list was Adrian Moten with 68. This year our Linebacking Corp will be a little older and more experienced and hopefully Wujciak won’t have to carry the load all by himself. Moten will be back, and Demetrius Hartsfield will also be back. As a group I’m hanging my defense hope on the Linebackers.
Also as an honorable mention. This will be year two of the Kenny Tate experiment at DB. I am a big fan of his athleticism and having him with another year of experience is going to be big. I’m expecting a big year from Kenny Tate.
Q: What is keeping Maryland from competing again in Atlantic Division?
A: When the Atlantic Division was drawn up, I was a bit concerned about how the Terps would be able to knock off some of these other teams, specifically FSU and Clemson. But I don’t feel that way anymore. I think the Terps can compete year in and year out and with a few exceptions, they have. I have been surprised how often we have played meaningful games into November, even if we have come up short. I think this year we are over matched for the Atlantic, but all we just need is to get some of these recruiting classes together, sometimes we have poor defense and a solid offense, and some years we have a solid defense and poor offense. I don’t think we have had a go at the Atlantic Division with a team that was clicking on all cylinders, now maybe that in itself is what is keeping us from competing, but I don’t think it is a long term problem.
Q: What game early on will tell us if Maryland is on the road back or not?
A: Oh without a doubt Navy. This one is big for us. We lose and we are the second best team in the state of Maryland. Second best in the state may be good enough in lacrosse, but Maryland isn’t big enough for two Football programs. We must win that game and I don’t know a single Terps fan who isn’t wringing his hands thinking about that triple option and the discipline the Middies bring to the field.
Q: What would be considered a good season? What would be considered a bad
season?
A: Very simple, 6-6 and a Bowl is a success. I wish we could get to the point where we define our season by the size of the Bowl Game we get into, but we aren’t there yet. Unfortunately for our Terps coming off a 2-10 season the line between 6-6 and 5-7 is Grand Canyon-esque. We fall short of a bowl again and all the momentum Friedgen created in the first decade of the century is just about gone.
Q: What is your prediction for the Terrapins this year (W-L record or Wins
over… Losses to… Toss Up…)
A:
Navy-L
Morgan State-W
@West Virginia-L
Florida International-W
Duke-W
@Clemson-L
@BC-L
Wake Forest-W
@Miami-L
@Virginia-L
Florida State-L
NC State-W
That’s 6 wins right?? Oh crap!
So there you have it. One last preseason camp preview. We still have a couple of positions to breakdown, but before you know it, we will be talking about games.
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